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Making progress I think after 3 weeks? Application Question?

User
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

Well after getting some tips this is my 3rd week of working on my lawn. Ill start out listing what I did. This is a northern mix, I think that is Tall Fescue and KBG. When I bought the house it was a burnt lawn and overrun with dandelions. Very green to lawn care but been reading and watching a bunch of videos. Anyway You can see the progress below, the 3 pics in order week 1, week 2, week3.

1.) Week one I started with spraying Ortho Weed B Gone on entire lawn with a hose applicator to try and knock out the dandilions.
I started to see them dwindle down.
2.) I then sprayed the entire lawn with Miracle Gro Lawn Food.
3.) After reading something I realized I made a mistake and wasn't bagging or raking up the lawn clipping after mowing and in areas it was real think and left big clumping. But leaving these I think I have cause my lawn to get ran over with Plaintain. In wek 2 photo you can see the "holes" of no grass where plaintain were. I know have a bagging mower.
4.) I started spot spraying the plaintain with Spot spray weed killer safe for grass. I believe a lot are starting to wilt away but still many survived.
5.) I planted Scotts Grow Anywhere grass seed in some bare spots around the lawn but have seen no progress yet.
6.) Week 3 shows after the spot treatment and it seems a little fuller and greener (could be me just hoping). This leads me to 3 questions:

Question 1: I tend to water the grass and seed I layed every night at dusk (except if it rained that day). Is that to much/not enough water? Or ok?

Question 2: Would it be bad to spray the hole yard again with Ortho weed b gone that attaches to the hose as the plaintain it takes a lot of work to spot spray as there is so many on the one side. Is it 2 soon and would it harm the grass? Its been about 3 weeks since I sprayed it.

Question 3: I was looking into some good reviews of Scott's Turf Builder Weed and Feed. It is also on sale right now, would it be good to get this and a spreader and cover the lawn with this? Would it be harmful that I gave it Miracle Gro Lawn feed about 2 weeks ago. I heard Turf builder really greens it up and keeps the weeds down? IS this something I should do?

IF I am way off please feel free to let me know, Looking for some direction as very new to this. Thank you so much in advance.

(Which for some reason this wont let me add photos....click add and it just does nothing)

Comments (4)

  • dchall_san_antonio
    7 years ago

    The weed n feed combined products are difficult to use and the results are usually unsatisfactory. I think all the forums will tell you that if you need to fertilize, use a fertilizer. If you need to kill weeds, use a herbicide (spot spray with Weed b Gon of WBG Chickweed, Clover, and Oxalis Killer). It could be the plantain needs the WBG CCO. It's a different bottle of stuff. Read the bottle label to see if 3 weeks is enough time between spraying. You should not get into a ritual of spraying it every few weeks, though. That's asking for trouble.

    You seeded at a bad time of year. Why? Because now is the time crabgrass seed is germinating. Also because tender new grass shoots will not have sturdy enough roots to live through the summer heat. Fall is THE time to seed northern grasses.

    As to fertilizer, the grass needs nitrogen. Whether it needs phosphorous or potassium, you can't tell without a soil test (Logan Labs, $25 - best soil test in the country by far). Having said that, you can apply an organic fertilizer like soybean meal, corn meal, alfalfa pellets, Milorganite, or corn gluten meal at any time without fear. These materials feed the soil microbes which, after 3 weeks, will feed the plants.

    Watering: Deep and infrequent is the mantra for watering. This is for all turf grass all over the place. Deep means 1 inch all at one time. Put some cat food or tuna cans around the yard, and time how long it takes your sprinkler(s) to fill all the cans. Memorize that time. That will be the time you water from now on. My hose, sprinkler and water pressure takes 8 full hours to fill the cans. Your time will likely be less. I like gentle watering. As for watering frequency, that depends on the temperature. With temps in the 90s, deep water once per week. With temps in the 80s, deep water once every 2 weeks. With temps in the 70s, deep water once every 3 weeks. With temps below 70, deep water once a month. Note that you have to keep up with quickly changing temps in the spring and fall. This deep and infrequent schedule works in Phoenix and in Vermont, so it should work for you. The reason for deep and infrequent is to grow deeper, more drought resistant roots and to allow the soil to dry completely at the surface for several days before watering again. If it rains, reset your calendar to account for the rainfall.

    Mowing: Mulch mow at the mower's highest setting for all lawns except bermuda, centipede, and creeping bentgrass. Those should be mowed at the lowest setting.

    Fertilizer: As indicated above. Dates are Memorial Day, Labor Day, and about Thanksgiving. Note that these dates do NOT match the dates you will get from TV commercials, local radio stations, and newspaper and magazine articles. These dates are the historical dates used by professional grass farmers and ranchers and have been adopted by the lawn community gurus as being the most appropriate for chemical fertilization. If you use organic fertilizer, you can do that any day of the year, or every day of the year. You cannot go wrong with organics unless you bury the grass in it.

    Spray on fertilizer is good for a few days up to a week. Grass needs pounds of nitrogen to last from season to season. All you get with a spray is fractional diluted ounces of nitrogen.

    User thanked dchall_san_antonio
  • User
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    thank you for all the wonderful information, I appreciate it! The one question I have is WBG CCO that is different then just WBG spot spray?

  • User
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Oh I found that it is different. But CCO might be needed even though its Plaintain? Well I atleast think its Plaintain?

  • User
    7 years ago

    Regular WBG or anything with 2,4D in it will take care of plantain.